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Philosophy in Medical Education: A Means of Protecting Mental Health

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Abstract

Objective

This study sought to identify and examine less commonly discussed challenges to positive mental health faced by medical students, residents, and physicians with hopes of improving current efforts to protect the mental health of these groups. Additionally, this work aimed to suggest an innovative means of preventing poor mental health during medical education.

Methods

Literature on medical student, resident, and physician mental health was carefully reviewed and a number of psychiatrists who treat physician-patients were interviewed.

Results

The culture of medicine, medical training, common physician psychology and identity, and conflicting professional expectations all seem to contribute to poor mental health among medical students, residents, and physicians. Many current efforts may be more successful by better addressing the negative effects of these characteristics of modern medicine.

Conclusions

Programs aimed at promoting healthy mental lifestyles during medical education should continue to be developed and supported to mitigate the deleterious effects of the challenging environment of modern medicine. To improve these efforts, educators may consider incorporating philosophical discussions on meaning and fulfillment in life between medical students and faculty. Through medical school faculty members sharing and living out their own healthy outlooks on life, students may emulate these habits and the culture of medicine may become less challenging for positive mental health.

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Acknowledgments

The author wishes to thank Dr. Alice Dreger, Dr. Tod Chambers, Dr. Charles Reynolds III, and Dr. Joel Frader for their support and guidance in preparing this article.

Disclosures

The author has no other affiliations or conflicts of interest to disclose.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA

    Eric J. Keller

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  1. Eric J. Keller
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Correspondence to Eric J. Keller.

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Keller, E.J. Philosophy in Medical Education: A Means of Protecting Mental Health. Acad Psychiatry 38, 409–413 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40596-014-0033-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40596-014-0033-y

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